Attire in Grenoble, France is vastly different from attire in my university, Grenoble Ecole de Management. It might as well be as different as black and white. Overall, the fashion of Grenoble is varied; there are well-dressed business men and women around town, but it contrasts with the individuals on the streets. The biggest difference in fashion in Grenoble compared to my home university (in California) is the weather; it gets cold in Grenoble. The long puffy zip-up jackets, furry hoods, and big boots are all foreign items of clothing to me. But, for the most part, the French are stylish.
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| Snapshot of Vizille Castle. |
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| No big deal. |
Grenoble Ecole de Management is strictly a business school. Unlike my home university, where we have majors and minors ranging from art to science, the business etiquette at GEM is strongly upheld. Nearly every student dresses in business casual attire every day at GEM and even some days, you’ll see a handful of students wearing full suits with their nicest pair of oxfords. It is common to dress in the nicest business casual attire you have for a class presentation, and is usually expected by the teacher of each module. Skirts and dresses should be just above the knee, blouses and business shirts should not be low cut, and colors are very monochromatic.
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| An inverted french braid. |
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| Outside my bedroom window in my homestay. |
Although there is not a compulsory dress code at GEM, everyone dresses exceptionally well, we are in France, after all. The best way to pack for Grenoble and your time abroad is to bring layers! (if you study abroad during the fall semester) Coming from California, I never owned big coats or jackets, but lucky enough, Grenoble is tucked into a valley and retains a somewhat moderate temperature compared to the surrounding mountains. Another tip for packing is to leave behind colorful patterns, you will stand out in the crowd of French people. The French enjoy their monochromatic colors such as black, grey, and white. Overall, I admire the French style and strive to dress more similar to them every day.
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| The gardens at Vizille Castle. |
Isabel K. is the Fall 2016 CEA MOJO in the French Alps, France. She is currently a junior studying International Business and Computer Science at Chapman University.
